A board chosen by the Florida governor to control Disney’s Orlando theme parks says he was castrated by a last-minute deal with a royal clause.
Disney ruled the territory for more than half a century, until Florida lawmakers penalized the conglomerate for slamming state laws regulating sex education.
But the new board says its authority has been circumvented by restrictive agreements citing King Charles III.
The Republican-leaning board has hired attorneys to settle the matter.
“We’re going to have to look into this and correct it,” board member Brian Aungst said at a public meeting on Wednesday.
He called Disney’s actions “a naked attempt to circumvent the will of the voters and the will of the Florida legislature”.
In a brief statement, Disney said “all agreements signed between Disney and the District were reasonable and were discussed and approved in open, respected public forums.”
The former Disney-controlled board was known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District and ran the sprawling theme park resort in central Florida.
It approved the now-controversial agreement on Feb. 8, a day before the state’s Republican-led legislature voted to authorize the governor to elect a new board to oversee the 27,000 acres.
The newly created Central Florida Tourism Oversight District says the binding agreement, passed by the previous board last month, gives Disney full control over the area’s development.
The declaration applies until “21 years after the death of the last surviving descendant of King Charles III, King of England,” according to the document.
The so-called “Royal Lives Clause” has existed in legal documents since the 16th century and can still be found in some contracts in the United Kingdom.
The 151-page Florida agreement also states that no Disney “imaginative characters,” including Mickey Mouse, may be used by the board. The use of the Disney name is also prohibited.
The chairman of the new board, Martin Garcia, told an NBC affiliate that they may have to challenge the agreement in a “protracted legal battle.”
Disney made itself a political enemy of the governor after criticizing the state’s parental rights in education law, which Mr. DeSantis signed into law last April.
The measure bans teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity to students under the age of nine.
Supporters of the bill said it protects children from inappropriate content. Opponents have labeled the legislation “don’t say gay” and say it stigmatizes LGBT youth.
The culture war between Mr. DeSantis and Disney has helped raise the governor’s profile as a potential Republican presidential nominee for 2024.
Add Comment